My #COVID Cure? Anything With Trixie Mattel and Katya

I never really would have thought that in the midst of a global pandemic, a pair of drag queens would be the cure to any blues that I might be dealing with.

It wasn't as though I'd never heard about #TrixieMattel or #Katya prior to the #COVID pandemic, but I certainly had no idea they had a former series on #VICE and two different series online. I came to know these two during season 7 of #RuPaulsDragRace, as many of their fans may have done. In seeing these two interact the odd time online, I was struck by their chemistry together, and one day found myself looking online to see if there was anything online featuring these two.

What I found quite frankly has made dealing with the pandemic far easier. I have not laughed so hard as I have done since watching Trixie and Katya in their various web shows. It started, for me, with The Trixie and Katya Show on Vice (on Crave in Canada), which ran for one season. I was saddened when #Bobthedragqueen (no offense to Bob, but the chemistry just wasn't the same) replaced Katya roughly halfway through the season, though I understood why - at the time, Katya had relapsed and was struggling with her addictions.

I then discovered the duo's multi-season web series #UNHhhh, where they talk about everything, "Because it's [their] show, and not yours," as they say in their intro. The really cool part about their show is the fact that they talk about real, relatable topics, from dating, to drama, to dental artistry. Because of the drama involved with reality television, I wouldn't necessarily have expected drag queens to be discussing issues that would really connect with everything that all of us deal with on a daily basis. I sure would not have expected them to be discussing these issues with such irreverence but such realness, if I'm honest. For starters, it's helped me feel a whole lot less alone during this pandemic. Sure, I'm a married mom with two kids, but that doesn't mean I haven't experienced the sense of being disconnected in many ways from others while we all attempt to keep our distance during the insanity known as the COVID pandemic.

Their episode about fighting and how sometimes people fight in a very passive-aggressive sort of way hit home when Trixie mentioned she would be "that mom" who'd wake their kid up in the middle of the night if the kid said they'd do a particular chore by the end of the day but hadn't quite done it. Moms, we've all been there at one point or another, I'd say, and to hear her encapsulate that sentiment so perfectly in my view just made me feel better about every time I've encountered those moments with my own kids.

Here's the thing, though; while this pair of queens discuss some very real topics - they even discuss the fine art of relaxation and admit that sometimes it's harder to relax than one might expect - they do it in such a way that you feel like you're kibbitzing with your friends. Sure, they're friends who might be expressing their thoughts in a NSFW sort of way, but still, who hasn't had those moments where you're perhaps being a little blunter than you might be usually?

Then there's #ILikeToWatch, where Trixie and Katya review a variety of #Netflix shows. The first I came across of these was where they reviewed Tiger King, and I think I stumbled upon it at the height of the first lockdown we experienced back in late March or early April. The pair make it very clear that there will be spoilers and make no apologies for it. These episodes are just as irreverent as their web series, and a definite hook for these series that they're plugging. One of my favorite I Like To Watch episodes was where they reviewed #Lucifer (Season 5, I believe) and the majority of the episode in many respects was the two queens thirsting after the actor behind the main character, #TomEllis. There were details about the series itself, but Trixie and Katya made it clear that they were equally drawn by Ellis himself as they were by the episodes.

Trixie and Katya are probably one of the best comedic duos that I've experienced online lately. They are sharp, their chemistry is undeniable, and they do have their moments of heartfelt discussions interspersed with genuine belly laughs. It's not the relief I expected during this crazy time in everyone's lives, but I look forward to them every single time.